Knocking detecting sensor

Abstract

 A knocking detecting sensor (1) includes a piezoelectric element plate (8) for detecting vibration due to knocking generated in an internal combustion engine and a main metallic shell (5) for supporting the piezoelectric element plate on the side of its one face and is attached to a prescribed attaching unit (30) of the internal combustion engine. The piezoelectric element plate (8) is formed in a flat axis-symmetrical shape at a relative position where the axial line (O) is substantially orthogonal to the attaching face (30a) of the attaching unit (30). The main metallic shell 5 has an opposite face (35) to the attaching face (30a) of the attaching unit (30), and has a concave portion (37) opening toward the opposite face (35) at a position away from the axial line (O) of the piezoelectric element plate (8) by a prescribed distance. By the provision of the concave portion (37), the center of gravity (G) of the sensor (1) can be corrected in a direction to approach the axial line (O) of the piezoelectric element plate (8) from the position when it is not formed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a knocking detecting sensor attached to an internal combustion engine to detect knocking electrically.

2. Description of the Related Art

[0002] In order to detect knocking generated in an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, a sensor to detect vibration due to the knocking using a piezoelectric element has been widely used. Such a knocking detecting sensor is roughly classified into two kinds of a resonant type and a non-resonant type. The former has a resonance point in a range corresponding to a knocking frequency and detects selectively only the vibration in the vicinity of the resonating frequency on the basis of a resonance phenomenon, thereby detecting the knocking. The latter has a comparatively flat output characteristic not having a specified resonance frequency and extracts the sensor output in a frequency band corresponding to knocking using a bandpass filter, thereby detecting the knocking.

[0003] Generally, in the non-resonant type knocking detecting sensor, a main metallic shell is arranged so that its bottom face contacts with an attaching face, and a screw member is inserted into a through hole of the main metallic shell and is screwed into a female screw hole in the side of the attaching portion, whereby the main metallic shell and the attaching portion are fixed each other. (For example, TOKU HYO HEI 6-508920 and U.S. Patent 5,398,540) Further, there is another type of sensor in which a male screw portion is integrally formed with a main metallic shell and this integrated body is screwed to a female screw hole in a attaching side. (For example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. HEI. 1-159467). In such an attaching structure, however, it is well known that the main metallic shell is apt to generate a vibration mode (as seen from the attaching face, a vibration mode including an amplitude component in a direction intersecting the attaching face) in a direction along the axial line direction of the screw member (namely, coupling direction by the screw member) around the outer edge portion of the main metallic shell as the axial line of the screw member is the center, and make the resonance at a specified frequency. The non-resonant sensor, as guessed from a detecting principle, is desired to have a possible flat output frequency characteristic. However, when resonance occurs by the above cause, the detected output level in a knocking band may be lowered, or otherwise the output frequency characteristic is susceptible to the influence of noise by the resonance, thus leading poor detection. On the other hand, in the resonant type knocking detecting sensor also, the resonance in an undesired frequency may occur by the similar or other cause. In this case, erroneous detection is likely to occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a knocking detecting sensor which can surely detect knocking with high accuracy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view showing the knocking detecting sensor according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing an attaching state of a knocking detecting sensor;

Fig. 3 is a schematic view simply showing the method of connecting a piezoelectric element plate to a connection terminal portion;

Fig. 4 is a view explaining the method of attaching a knocking detecting sensor.;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view showing the operation of the knocking detecting sensor of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view showing a first modified embodiment of the knocking detecting sensor;

Fig. 7 is a side sectional view showing a second modified embodiment of the knocking detecting sensor;

Fig. 8 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of assembling of the knocking detecting sensor as shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a schematic sectional view showing another example of a knocking detecting sensor assembling;

Fig. 10 is a bottom view showing a third modified embodiment of the knocking detecting sensor;

Fig. 11 is a bottom view showing a fourth modified embodiment of the knocking detecting sensor;

Fig. 12 is a bottom view showing a fifth modified embodiment of the knocking detecting sensor;

Fig. 13 is a bottom view showing a sixth modified embodiment of the knocking detecting sensor;

Fig. 14 is a bottom view showing a seventh modified embodiment of the knocking detecting sensor;

Fig. 15 is a side sectional view showing a eighth modified embodiment of the knocking detecting sensor;

Fig. 16 is a bottom view of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a side sectional view showing a ninth modified embodiment of the knocking detecting sensor;

Fig. 18 is a side sectional view showing a tenth modified embodiment of the knocking detecting sensor;

Figs. 19A and 19B are explanation views of the operation of a concave portion and a thin thickness portion; and

Figs. 20A and 20B are profiles showing measurement examples of the frequency characteristic in the knocking detecting sensor in an example and a comparative example, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Detailed description of the present invention will be described as follow referring to the accompanying drawings.

[0007] The knocking detecting sensor according to the present invention is constructed as follows.

[0008] The knocking detecting sensor includes: a piezoelectric element plate for detecting vibration due to knocking generated in an internal combustion engine and a main metallic shell for supporting the piezoelectric electric element plate on the side of its one face and attached to a prescribed attaching unit of the internal combustion engine, wherein the piezoelectric element plate is formed in an axis-symmetrical shape at a relative position where the axial line intersects the attaching face of the attaching unit; and the main metallic shell has an opposite face forming portion to form an opposite face between itself and the attaching face of the attaching unit, and the opposite face forming portion has at least one of a concave or notch portion (hereinafter, the expression of concave portion includes the notch portion in the present invention) which opens in the surface of opposite face forming portion and a convex portion protruding from the opposite face of the opposite surface forming portion, which is formed at a position away from the axial line of the piezoelectric element plate by a prescribed distance.

[0009] Incidentally, in the present invention, "the concave portion or the convex portion is formed at a position away from the axial line of the piezoelectric element plate by a prescribed distance" means that, for example, the geometrical center of gravity position of the concave portion or the convex portion exists to be displaced from the axial line of the piezoelectric element plate. For example, if the face (e.g. opposite face), where the concave portion is formed, of the opposite face forming portion is flat, the geometrical center of gravity position of the concave portion means, when the surface is virtually extended to close the opening of the concave portion and thus formed closed space in the concave portion is regarded as a virtual solid, the geometrical center of gravity position of the virtual solid body. In addition, if the opposite face is flat, the geometrical center of gravity position of the convex portion is the geometrical center of gravity position of a part protruding from an extended face which is extended the opposite face in a cutting direction of the convex portion.

[0010] The inventors of the present invention have found that the above concave portion or convex portion is formed at the opposite face of the main metallic shell so that a non-resonant type sensor gives an output frequency characteristic which is difficult to provide a resonance point in the sensor output and is flat, and a resonant-type sensor prevents the resonance from occurring in a band other than the knocking frequency. Namely, in the knocking detecting sensor in either type, the frequency characteristic for knocking detection can be improved to detect occurrence of knocking accurately and surely.

[0011] The reason of the improvement by forming the concave portion or convex portion of the frequency characteristic of

the sensor may be considered as at least one of the followings. (1) In the structure wherein the main metallic shell is screwed and fixed to the attaching face by the screw member etc., the screw force becomes larger as approaching the fixing center thereof. As shown in Fig. 19A, a flexible load distributed from the fixing center (i.e., the center axial line of the screw member) to the diameter direction is generated in the opposite face forming portion. The attaching force between the opposite face and the attaching face is decreased as approaching the outer edge portion thereof. The opposite face may be formed to be away from the attaching face. Therefore, in this outer edge portion, a vibration in a direction intersecting the attaching face is easily generated. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 19B, if the concave portion is formed on the opposite face forming portion, a thin thickness portion is formed on the opposite face forming portion corresponding to the concave portion. Then, when the screw force is applied by the screw member etc., the thin thickness portion slightly flexed in a screwing direction to absorb a warp in a direction to rise the outer edge portion, thereby improving the attaching degree of the opposite face of the opposite face forming portion with respect to the attaching face. Therefore, it is hard to generate the vibration mode including an amplitude component in the direction intersecting the attaching face. Consequently, the frequency characteristic of the knocking detecting sensor is improved.

(2) Dynamical parameters controlling the resonance phenomenon such as the center of gravity position and the inertia tensor component of the main metallic shell (or whole of the sensor) is changed by forming the concave portion or the convex portion, thereby the resonance point is not essentially generated.

[0012] Assuming that the volume of whole of the main metallic shell including the volume of the concave portion or the convex portion is V and the volume of the concave portion or the convex portion is K, K/V is preferably adjusted in the range of 0.01 to 0.2. If K/V is less than 0.01, the effect for improving the frequency characteristic of the knocking detecting sensor by forming the concave portion or the convex portion can not obtain. On the other hand, if K/V exceeds 0.2, some knocking detecting sensor may apt to generate the vibration point. The value of the K/V is preferably set to about 0.015.

[0013] The concave portion is formed to be opened on the opposite face which is convenient for improving the frequency characteristic of the knocking detecting sensor. The reason of this is considered that the thin thickness portion can be formed in the screwing direction to the attaching face of the main metallic shell, and because the flexing effect thereof, the attaching degree of the opposite face forming portion with respect to the attaching face can be further improved. More specifically, the concave portion is formed in the opposite face forming portion so that the axial line direction of the piezoelectric element plate becomes a depth direction and the thickness of the concave portion is reduced at the forming position of the concave portion. Further, the concave portion is preferably formed so that a geometrical center of gravity position of a diagram formed by projecting the opposite face with respect to a virtual plane orthogonal to the axial line of the piezoelectric element plate and a geometrical center of gravity position of a diagram formed by projecting the opening portion of the concave portion toward the opposite face with respect to the same are displaced each other on the virtual plane.

[0014] The concave portion is formed to correct the center of gravity of the sensor from the position when these portions are not formed so as to approach the axial line of the piezoelectric element plate. For example, many types of the non-resonant type sensor has a structure in which a connecting member for extracting an output from the piezoelectric element plate is formed to protrude from the sensor body. If such a connecting member is provided, the center of gravity of the sensor is displaced from the axial line of the piezoelectric element plate. Owing to the shape of the sensor, this causes to generate the resonance of the sensor. In this case, the concave portion is formed in the above described manner so that the center of gravity portion of the sensor is corrected to approach the axial line of the piezoelectric element plate. Accordingly, it has further advantage to prevent the resonance of the sensor based on the displace of the center of gravity from the axial line.

[0015] Next, in case of forming the convex portion in the opposite face, the convex portion will be attached to a concave portion of the attaching face. According to this, the convex portion also has a positioning function to attach the sensor on the attaching face. In addition, as described later, in case of attaching the sensor by the screw, the convex portion also acts as detent to stop the sensor by engaging with the concave portion in the attaching face during the screwing.

[0016] In the above-described sensor, the piezoelectric element plate can be formed in ring shape. Further, the main metallic shell can be formed to include a cylindrical or cylindrical-column passing-through portion, and a flange portion integrally formed on the one side of the passing-through portion and extending outwardly along a circumferential direction of the passing-through portion, the flange portion constituting the opposite face forming portion. In this case, the piezoelectric element plate is externally inserted to the inserting portion of the main metallic shell from a direction opposite to the flange portion. A ring-shaped end face of the flange portion opposite to the piezoelectric element becomes a supporting face for supporting the piezoelectric plate. The other end face becomes an opposite face with respect to the attaching face. This structure is suitably used for non-resonance type knocking detecting sensor. According to the above feature of the present invention, the detecting accuracy of the non-resonance type sensor can be improved.

[0017] In this case, the concave portion is formed to open in the other side. That is, when the opposite face forming portion is formed as the flange portion, a harmful vibration mode including an amplitude component in the axis direction is apt to generate around the outer periphery portion of the flange portion, thereby damaging the frequency characteristic. However, if the concave portion is formed to open in the other end face opposite to the attaching face, the harmful vibration can be restrained because of the fact that the flange portion becomes thinner in the position of the concave portion, thereby improving the detecting accuracy of the sensor.

[0018] Further, in the above knocking detecting sensor, the outer periphery of the main metallic shell is covered with a resin case integrally molded therewith, and on the side of the resin case, a cylinder portion with its tip opened is formed integrally with the resin case in a form protruding sideward. In this case, it is preferable to further improve the detecting accuracy of the sensor that a connection terminal portion for extracting an output from the piezoelectric element plate is provided to penetrate the resin case and to protrude into the cylinder portion, and the connection terminal portion and the cylinder portion constitute a connector portion. That is, if the connector portion is formed, the center of gravity of the sensor displaces toward the side of the connector portion. The resonance may be apt to generate due to the center of gravity displacement. Accordingly, the concave portion is formed in the opposite face forming portion at a position corresponding to the connector portion to reduce the weight of the main metallic shell for an amount of the concave portion. The weight increment due to forming the connector portion is partially eliminated to thereby restrain the resonance. On the other hand, in case of forming the convex portion in place of the concave portion, for example, the convex portion is formed at an opposite side of the connector portion with respect to the center axial line of the piezoelectric element plate to thereby obtain substantially the same effect.

[0019] The knocking detecting sensor is arranged on the attaching unit in a state where the opposite face of the main metallic shell is in contact with the attaching face and attached to the attaching unit in such a manner that a screw member penetrating through the main metallic shell is screwed into a female screw formed in the attaching unit. As has been described by using Figs. 19A and 19B, in the opposite face forming portion of the main metallic shell of this screw type sensor structure, as being away from the center axial line of the screw member in the diameter direction, that is, as approaching to the outer edge portion of the main metallic shell, the attaching force between the opposite face and the attaching face is reduced to thereby be apt to generate the harmful vibration which is a cause of the resonance phenomenon. Therefore, the above-described structure is applied to the sensor according to the present invention to thereby restrain the resonance and to thereby remarkably accomplish the effect to improve the knocking detecting accuracy.

[0020] The concave portion is engaged with a convex portion formed on the attaching face and the convex portion is engaged with a concave portion formed thereon so that they also serve to prevent the sensor from being rotated together when the screw member is screwed into the female screw portion. In other words, the concave or notch portion formed to adjust the center of gravity of the sensor can be positively used as a stopper for detent so that the sensor can be easily attached. In the sensor having a structure for fixing the piezoelectric element plate to the main metallic shell by a bolt-nut, in the processing of tightening the nut, the above concave or notch portion can be used as a detent for the main metallic shell.

[0021] With reference to the drawings, an explanation will be given of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] Fig. 1 shows a sectional structure of a knocking detecting sensor (hereinafter simply referred to as "sensor") which is an embodiment of the present invention configured as an non-resonant type sensor. The sensor 1 includes a case of synthetic resin (hereinafter simply referred to as "case") 2, a main metallic shell 5, a piezoelectric element plate 8, a connection terminal portion 22, etc. As shown in Fig. 2, the sensor 1 is arranged on a attaching unit 30 in a state where the opposite face of the main metallic shell 5 is in contact with an attaching face 30a of the attaching unit 30 on the side of an internal combustion engine. By screwing a screw member 33, which passes through a through-hole 6 of the main metallic shell 5, into a female screw portion formed in the attaching unit 30, the sensor is attached to the attaching unit 31 in such a relative position where the axial line O of the piezoelectric element plate 8 described later is substantially orthogonal to the attaching face 30a.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 1, the case 2 includes a body 3 formed in a cylinder shape and a cylinder portion 25 integrated thereto so that it extends outwardly from its side. For example, the case 1 is injection-molded integrally with the main metallic shell 5 and piezoelectric element plate 8. The main metallic shell 5 includes a cylindrical passing-through portion 7 with a through-hole 6 formed in an axial direction, and a flange portion 10 integrally formed on the lower side of the passing-through portion 7 and extending outwardly along a circumferential direction of the passing-through portion 7. The flange portion 10 serves as a supporting face 11 supporting the lower face of the piezoelectric element plate 8 at a ring-shaped end surface opposite to the piezoelectric element plate 8 and as the above opposite face 35 at the end surface opposite to the supporting face 11.

[0024] On the outer peripheries of the tip end of the passing-through 7 and flange portion 10, a plurality of uneven portions 7a and 10a (for example, an annular ring-shaped convex portion along the periphery direction) are formed in an axial direction. These portions serve to improve the coupling strength in such a manner that resin of the injection-molded case 2 is intruded therein. On the side slightly upper than the intermediate portion of the passing-through portion 7, a screw portion 13 is formed circumferentially on the lower side of the uneven portion 7a.

[0025] The piezoelectric element plate 8 has a flat axis-symmetrical shape, e.g., a flat circular plate shape having a ring shape with a hole 8a formed centrally penetrating therethrough in the thickness direction (axial line direction) thereof. The piezoelectric element plate 8 is provided with electrode plate 9a, 9b arranged on its both ends in the axial direction. In this state, the piezoelectric element plate 8 is fit over the passing-through portion 7 of the main metallic shell 5 at a hole portion 8a from the end on the opposite side to the side where the flange portion 10 is formed. Further, at the passing-through portion 7, an insulating plate 16, a plumb 17 and a washer 18 are fit over the passing-through portion 7 and stacked on the piezoelectric element plate 8 in this order. In addition, the screw portion 13 is formed at the outer periphery of the passing-through portion 7. The above members 9b, 8, 9a, 16, 17, 18 are tightened and held between the flange portion 10 and the nut member 20. Thus, the piezoelectric element plate 8 is supported by the supporting face 11 of the flange portion 10 at the end face in the side of the electrode plate 9b.

[0026] An output from the piezoelectric element plate 8 is extracted by the connection terminal portion 22. As shown in Fig. 3, for example, the connection terminal portion 22 is made of terminal metal fittings 22a, 22b. One end sides of the terminal metal fittings 22a, 22b are connected to the electrode plates 9a, 9b, respectively through an integrated resistance 24, whereas the other ends thereof are penetrated through the case 2 to protrude into the cylindrical portion 25 as shown in Fig. 1 so that it constitutes a connector portion 23 together with the cylindrical portion 25. A female coupler 27 is fit over the connector portion 23 so that the connecting terminal portion 22 is electrically connected to the circuit portion not shown.

[0027] As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, a substantially circular concave portion 37 opens in the opposite face 35 of the flange portion 10 in the side of the connector portion 23 with respect to an axial line O of the piezoelectric element plate 8. The concave portion 37 is formed so that the axial line direction of the flange portion 10 is a depth direction thereof. The thickness of the flange portion 10 is reduced at the forming portion of the concave portion 37 to thereby form a thin thickness portion 10d.

[0028] One end of the through-hole 6 (which becomes a screw insertion hole) in the bottom face of the flange portion 10 to have a donut-shape, where the concave portion 37 opens. The piezoelectric element plate 8 has a ring shape in which the outer periphery edge and the inner periphery edge of the axial cross section are substantially concentric, and is fitted over the passing-through portion 7. Accordingly, the center axial line of the flange portion 10 which is concentrically formed at the outer periphery of the end portion of the passing-through portion 7 substantially coincides with the center axial line O of the piezoelectric plate 8. Therefore, the geometrical center of gravity of the concave portion 37 positions to displace from the axial line O of the piezoelectric element plate 8. Incidentally, the geometrical center of gravity position of the concave portion 37 means the geometrical center of gravity position of the virtual solid body, when the surface is virtually extended to close the opening of the concave portion 37 and thus formed closed space in the concave portion 37 is regarded as a virtual solid.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 5, if the opposite face 35 of the flange portion 10 is seen from the center axial line O of the piezoelectric element plate 8, the position of the geometrical center of gravity G' of the opening portion of the concave portion 37 positions to displace from the geometrical center of gravity of the ring-shaped opposite face 35, i.e., the center axial line position O of the piezoelectric element plate 8. That is, the geometrical center of gravity position of a diagram formed by projecting the opposite face 35 with respect to a virtual plane orthogonal to the axial line O of the piezoelectric element plate 8 and a geometrical center of gravity position G' of a diagram formed by projecting the opening portion of the concave portion 37 toward the opposite face 35 with respect to the same are displaced each other on the virtual plane.

[0030] An explanation will be given of the method of attaching and using the knocking detecting sensor 1.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 4, the sensor 1 is arranged on the attaching portion 30 and the concave portion 37 of the main metallic shell 5 is engaged with the convex portion 39 in the side of the attaching face protruding from the attaching plane 30a at the position in proximity to the opening of the female screw portion 31. In the state where the through-hole 6 of the main metallic shell 5 is aligned with the female screw portion 31, the screw member 33 is passed through the through-hole 6 and its tip is screwed into the female screw portion 31. Thus, attaching of the sensor 1 is completed. As shown in Fig. 5, since the concave portion 37 is engaged with the convex portion 39 in the side of the attaching side, the sensor 1 is prevented from being rotated together when the screw member 33 is screwed into the female screw portion 31. Incidentally, for example, the convex portion 39 in the side of the attaching side is formed in such a manner that a member for forming the convex portion which a male screw portion is formed on an outer periphery of one end side is screwed into a female screw hole formed in the side of the attaching portion 30 so that the other end side protrudes from the attaching face 30a.

[0032] In the sensor 1 thus attached, when the vibration generated due to knocking is transmitted to the piezoelectric element plate 8 through the main metallic shell, the piezoelectric element plate 8 converts the vibration into an electric signal by the piezoelectric effect. The electric signal is supplied to the circuit portion not shown through a cable. The circuit portion for detecting the output signal from the sensor 1 is provided with a band-pass filter to detect only the signal at the frequency band corresponding to knocking.

[0033] In this configuration, the sensor 1 is difficult to generate resonance and the vibration in the cylindrical portion 25 is restrained. Accordingly, the knocking can be surely detected with high accuracy. The outline of this reason is considered as follows. That is, as shown in Fig. 2, when the main metallic shell 5 is tightened and fixed to the attaching face 30a by the screw member 33, the tightening force becomes larger as approaching the fixing center, e.g., the axial line of the screw member which almost corresponds to the center axial line O of the piezoelectric element plate 8. In this case, as shown in Fig. 19A, a flexible load distributing in the diameter direction is generated in the flange portion 10 of the main metallic shell 5, and the attaching force between the opposite face 35 and the attaching face 30a becomes smaller as approaching the periphery edge portion of the flange portion 10. As a result, in the periphery edge portion of the flange portion 10, the resonance is apt to generate because the harmful vibration having an amplitude direction which is a direction intersecting the attaching face 30a, i.e., the axial line direction of the screw member 33.

[0034] However, as shown in Fig. 19B, if the concave portion 37 is provided in the flange portion 10 to thereby form a thin thickness portion 10d, the thin thickness portion 10d is slightly flexed when the tightening force by the screw member 33 is applied. As a result, the warp in a direction to raise the periphery edge portion of the flange portion 10 is absorbed. Accordingly, the attaching degree of the opposite face 35 with respect to the attaching face 30a is improved. According to this, the above harmful vibration is difficult to generate in the flange portion 10, thereby improving the frequency characteristic of the knocking detecting sensor 1. In addition, since such a resonance is prevented or restrained, a contact failure of the terminal contact due to vibration is hard to occur.

[0035] A further reason of the resonance restraint is considered as follows. Dynamical parameters controlling the resonance phenomenon such as the center of gravity position and the inertia tensor component of the main metallic shell 5 (or whole of the sensor 1) is changed by forming the concave portion 37. In this case, if the resonance frequency of a dynamic system including the sensor 1 is out of the vibration frequency band generated by a general internal combustion engine and the like, it is possible to make the resonance point be essentially hard to generate. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, if the concave portion 37 is formed in the flange portion 10 so that the position of the center of gravity G' of the sensor 1 provided that the concave portion 37 is not formed is corrected to approach the axial line O of the piezoelectric element plate 8, the resonance phenomenon may be effectively restrained. Incidentally, the position of the center of gravity G can be adjusted in accordance with the size and the formation position of the concave portion 37.

[0036] In this case, it is the most effective matter for restraining the resonance that the concave portion 37 is formed at a position corresponding to the connector portion 23. However, even if the concave portion 37 is formed at another portion, a certain effect for restraining resonance can be achieved. For example, the concave portion 37 is formed at a position opposite to the position as shown in Fig. 1 with respect to the axial line O of the piezoelectric element plate 8.

[0037] Assuming that the volume of whole of the main metallic shell 5 including the volume of the concave portion is V and the volume of the concave portion is K, K/V is preferably adjusted in the range of 0.01 to 0.2 so as to accomplish the desirable resonance restrain effect. The value of the K/V is more preferably set to about 0.015.

[0038] Various types of modified embodiment of the knocking detecting sensor 1 will be described as follows.

[0039] The concave portion 37 can be formed to be rectangular in spite of the circular flat shape. Fig.14 shows an embodiment in which the concave portion 37 is formed to be flat arc-shape (or sector-shape). In addition, as shown in Fig. 6, in place of the concave portion 37, for example, a groove-shaped notch portion 40 both ends of which open to inner and outer periphery of the flange portion 10. Further, Figs. 15 and 16 show embodiments in which a part of the flange portion 10 in the side of the opposite face 35 is partially cut to thereby form a substantially sector-shaped notch portion 55. As shown in Fig. 15, the bottom face of the notch portion 55 is tapered so as to be away from the attaching face 35 as proceeding to the outside in the diameter direction of the flange portion 10. Incidentally, the notch portion 55 is formed at a position corresponding to the connector portion 23. However, as indicated by a virtual line in Fig. 15, in place of or with the notch portion 55, another notch portion 55 having the same shape can be formed at the opposite portion with respect to the axial line O.

[0040] A plurality of concave portion 37 can be formed in the flange portion 10. Fig. 7 shows one embodiment thereof. Fig. 10 is a bottom view of Fig. 7. In this case, two concave portion 37 are formed so that one concave portion 37 is formed in the side of the connector portion 23 and another concave portion 37 is formed in the side opposite thereto with respect to the center axial line O of the piezoelectric element plate 8. Two convex portions 39 in the attaching portion side can be formed so as to engage with respective concave portions 37 as shown in Fig. 8. Alternatively, only one convex portion 39 is formed to engage with either one of concave portions 37.

[0041] Fig. 11 shows an embodiment in that, in addition to two concave portions 37 shown in Fig. 10, the other two concave portions are arranged at right angle positions of the former concave portions 37, thereby providing four concave portions 37 in total. Two concave portions 37 as shown in Fig. 12 are arranged at right angle positions of the two concave portions 37 as shown in Fig. 10. Incidentally, the formation condition of the concave portion 37 as shown in Fig. 10 is better than the others for restraining resonance. On the other hand, in still another embodiment as shown in Fig. 13, the concave portion 37 in Fig. 5 and the other concave portion 37 arranged at a right angle position of the former concave portion are formed, thereby forming two concave portions.

[0042] Fig. 17 shows still another embodiment in that a convex portion 50 is formed in the opposite face of the flange portion 10. This convex portion 50, for example, has a columnar shape, and an effect to prevent or restrain the resonance of the sensor 1 as similar to the concave portion 37. The reason to prevent or restrain the resonance by forming the convex portion 50 is considered as follows. Dynamical parameters controlling the resonance phenomenon such as the center of gravity position and the inertia tensor component of the main metallic shell 5 (or whole of the sensor 1) is changed by forming the convex portion 50. Incidentally, the convex portion 50 is engaged with a concave portion 51 in the side of the attaching face formed in the attaching portion side so as to prevent to rotate together with the sensor during attaching the sensor 1 to the attaching portion 30 by the screw member 33.

[0043] The above-described embodiments has been described about the non-resonance type knocking detecting sensor. However, the present invention can be applied to a resonance type knocking detecting sensor. In the resonance type knocking detecting sensor, the occurrence of the resonance except the knocking frequency is prevented and restrained to thereby improve the knocking detecting accuracy.

Example

[0044] The respective elements of the knocking detecting sensor 1 having a shape as shown in Fig. 1 were made with the following sizes and materials. First, the piezoelectric element 8 was formed as a sintered body of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) of outer diameter of 23 mm, inner diameter 15 mm and thickness of 2.5 mm. The main metallic shell 5 was made of carbon steel (JIS SWCH25K) so that its flange portion 10 has an outer diameter of 23 mm ⌀, inner diameter 8.5 mm ⌀ and thickness of 3 mm. The concave portion 37 was form to have a thickness of 6 mm and a depth of 1.5 mm. Further, a distance d between the geometrical center of gravity G' of the opening of the concave portion 37 and the center of the flange portion 10 (the axial line of the piezoelectric element plate 8) was set to be 8.0 mm. Further, K/V was set to be 0.015 where V is the volume of whole of the main metallic shell 5 including the volume of the concave portion 37, and K is the volume of the concave portion 37. For comparison, the sensor not having the concave portion 37 was also formed.

[0045] With these knocking detecting sensor attached to a prescribed meter, the output voltage was measured at the vibrated acceleration of 3G (G is gravitational acceleration) and a vibration frequency varying in the range of 1 to 20 kHz, thereby measuring the frequency characteristic. Figs. 20A and 20B show the measurement result.

[0046] Fig. 20A shows the frequency characteristic of the embodiment with the concave portion 37 formed. Fig. 20B shows the frequency characteristic of the sensor in a comparative example with no concave portion 37. Specifically, in the sensor in the comparative example, the peaks of the output (represented by a circle of phantom line) which may be attributable to resonance in the respective ranges of 16 - 17 kHz and 18 - 19 kHz. On the other hand, in the sensor according to the embodiment, a flat and good frequency characteristic with no peak could be obtained.

Claims

1. A knocking detecting sensor (1) comprising:

a piezoelectric element plate (8) for detecting vibration due to knocking generated in an internal combustion engine; and

a main metallic shell (5) for supporting said piezoelectric electric element plate (8) on a side of one face thereof, said main metallic shell (5) attached to an attaching portion (30) of the internal combustion engine;
   wherein said piezoelectric element plate (8) is formed in an axis-symmetrical shape so that an axial line of said piezoelectric element (8) intersects an attaching face (30a) of the attaching portion (30);

said main metallic shell (5) has an opposite face forming portion to form an opposite face (35) between itself and the attaching face (30a) of the attaching portion (30); and

said opposite face forming portion has at least one of a concave portion (37) which opens in a surface of opposite face forming portion and a convex portion (50) protruding from the opposite face (35) of the opposite surface forming portion, said at least one of said concave portion (37) and said convex portion (50) being formed at a position away from the axial line of said piezoelectric element plate (8) by a prescribed distance.

2. A knocking detecting sensor (1) according to claim 1, wherein said concave portion (37) opens toward the opposite face (35).

3. A knocking detecting sensor (1) according to claim 2, wherein said concave portion (37) is formed so that a geometrical center of gravity position of a diagram formed by projecting the opposite face (35) with respect to a virtual plane orthogonal to the axial line of said piezoelectric element plate (8) and a geometrical center of gravity position of a diagram formed by projecting the opening portion of said concave portion (37) toward the opposite face (35) with respect to the same are displaced each other on the virtual plane.

4. A knocking detecting sensor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said concave portion (37) is formed in said opposite face forming portion so that the axial line direction of said piezoelectric element plate (8) becomes a depth direction and a thickness of said opposite face forming portion is reduced at the forming position of said concave portion (37).

5. A knocking detecting sensor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said concave portion (37) is formed to correct a center of gravity of said sensor (1) from a position when said concave portion (37) is not formed so as to approach the axial line of said piezoelectric element plate (8).

6. A knocking detecting sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said convex portion (50) is attached to a concave portion (51) formed in the attaching face (30a).

7. A knocking detecting sensor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein:

said piezoelectric element plate (8) is formed in a ring-shape;

said main metallic shell (5) includes a cylindrical or columnar passing-through portion (7), and a flange portion (10) integrally formed with said main metallic shell (5) at one end side of the passing-through portion (7) and extending outwardly along a circumferential direction of the passing-through portion (7), the flange portion (10) constituting the opposite face forming portion;

said piezoelectric element plate (8) is fit over the passing-through portion (7) of said main metallic shell (5) from an opposite side to a side where the flange portion (10) is formed;

the flange portion (10) serves as a supporting face (11) supporting said piezoelectric element plate at a ring-shaped end surface opposite to said piezoelectric element plate (8) fit-over and as the opposite face to the attaching face at an end surface opposite to the supporting face (35).

8. A knocking detecting sensor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said concave portion (37) is formed to open in the end surface (35) opposite to the supporting face (11) of the flange portion (10).

9. A knocking detecting sensor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein:

an outer periphery of said main metallic shell (5) is covered with a resin case (2) integrally molded therewith;

on a side of said resin case (2), a cylinder portion (25) having a tip opened is formed integrally with the resin case (2) in a form protruding sideward;

a connection terminal portion (22) for extracting an output from said piezoelectric element plate (8) is provided to penetrate the resin case (2) and to protrude into the cylinder portion (25), and said connection terminal portion (22) and said cylinder portion (25) constitute a connector portion (23); and

said concave portion (37) is formed in said opposite face forming portion at a position corresponding to said connector portion (23) around the axial line.

10. A knocking detecting sensor (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein said knocking detecting sensor (1) is arranged on said attaching portion (30) in a state where the opposite face of said main metallic shell (5) is in contact with the attaching face (30a) and attached to the attaching portion (30) so that a screw member (33) penetrating through said main metallic shell (5) is screwed into a female screw (31) formed in the attaching portion (30).

11. A knocking detecting sensor (1) according to claim 10, wherein the opposite end face of the flange portion (10) is formed to be ring-shape by opening a through-hole of the screw member, and as the ring-shape end face is of the opposite face, said at least one of said concave portion (37) and said convex portion (50) is formed therein.

12. A knocking detecting sensor (1) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein said concave portion (1) is engaged with a convex porion (50) for detent formed on the attaching face (30a).

13. A knocking detecting sensor (1) according to claim 1, wherein a relation of K/V is in the range of 0.01 to 0.2 where a volume of whole of the main metallic shell (5) including the volume of the concave portion (37) or the convex portion (50) is V and a volume of the concave portion (37) or the convex portion (50) is K.

Drawing